Essential oils could kill the deadly
MRSA hospital 'superbug', scientists have claimed.
University of Manchester researchers found three of the oils, usually
used in aromatherapy, destroyed MRSA and E.coli bacteria in two minutes.

They suggest the oils could be blended into soaps and shampoos which
could be used in hospitals to stop the spread of the superbug.

Hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA, kill an estimated 5,000
a year.

The Manchester study was triggered when complementary medicine specialists
at Christie Cancer Hospital asked university researchers to test essential
oils.

Our research shows a very practical application which could be
of enormous benefit to the NHS and its patients
Jacqui Stringer, Christie Hospital, Manchester

They wanted to ensure they could not harm the patients, whose immune
systems are weakened by the treatments.
Dr Peter Warn, who carried out the research, said: "When I tested the
oils in the lab, absolutely nothing grew. Rather than stimulating bacteria
and fungi, the oils killed them off."

Soaps and shampoos

The team then tested 40 essential oils against 10 of the most infectious
agents found in hospitals, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus
aureus).

Two of the oils were found to kill MRSA and E.coli almost instantly,
while a third was found to act over a longer period of time.

However, the researchers say they are unable to reveal which oils carry
benefits because of commercial sensitivities.

MRSA is often carried in patients' nostrils, and is currently treated
by putting disinfectant on the area to kill the bacterium - which many
patients often find unpleasant.

Dr Warn says the essential oils could be used to create much more pleasant
inhalation therapies - which he said were likely to have a much higher
success rate than the current treatment, which is only effective in around
50% of cases."

Dr Warn said: "We believe that our discovery could revolutionise the
fight to combat MRSA and other superbugs."

But he said the team now needed around £30,000 in order to continue
its research.